Communication platform shifting for voice-enabled device

ABSTRACT

A system allowing user/system interaction sessions on voice-enabled computing devices (VECDs) to be shifted from a voice-based interface to a non-voice-based (such as a text/web-based) interface. Accordingly, easy and convenient data input, receipt and recognition is provided in a manner that is not likely to frustrate users, that accommodates a broad range of data needs, and/or that avoids confidentiality issues associated with the use of voice input and data security issues associated with the storage of medical/health or other sensitive data. The system recognizes a platform-shifting command via a voice-based interface, gathers any required information (such as a telephone number or e-mail address) for continuing the communications session on another platform, and then sends a text/email/other message including a URL/hyperlink usable to initiate a communications session on a different communications platform and continue a voice-based interaction session on a non-voice-based communications platform.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority, under 35 U.S.C §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/909,000, filedOct. 1, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to networked computing and datacommunications systems, and more particularly, to devices and methodsfor human-computer interactions, includingvoice-controlled/voice-enabled computing device capable of receivinginput from humans in the form of speech.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

There are various means for voice communication between individuals,including cell phones, voice over IP (VoIP) services, and landlinephones. Homes are becoming more wired and connected with theproliferation of computing devices such as desktops, tablets,entertainment systems, and portable communication devices. As computingdevices evolve, many different ways have been introduced to allow humanusers to interact with, and provider user input to, these devices, suchas through mechanical means (e.g., keyboards, mice, etc.), touchscreens, motion, and gesture. Another way to interact with computingdevices is through speech.

Certain electronic devices, such as voice-enabled computing devices, arecapable of receiving inputs from humans in the form of spokenwords/speech. Examples of voice-enabled computing devices include AmazonAlexa-based devices, such as the Echo and Dot devices manufacturedand/or sold by Amazon Technologies, Inc., the Google Home devicemanufactured and/or sold by Alphabet, Inc., and the Sonos One. Suchvoice-enabled computing devices are capable of performing variousfunctions. For instance, an individual may speak a command to activatesuch a device and in response, the device may perform various functionsand/or cause one or more actions to be performed. Some voice-enableddevices may also include speakers, display screens, and the like forpresentation of content. Some voice-enabled devices may be implementedwithin a distributed system that provides these devices, as remoteclients, with access to various services that are implemented largelywithin a distributed computing system and that are accessible via acomputerized communications/data network. These network-accessibleservices may enable remote client devices to access or provideadditional functionality or computing power not available locally on thedevices.

Although voice-enable computing devices are capable of receiving andacting upon human-provided voice input, it can become cumbersome tointeract with such voice-enabled devices when an extensive amount ofvoice input is needed, or when the input contains relatively uncommonwords, such as uncommon surnames, city or town names, etc., or otherwords that are outside of typical voice-recognition capabilities of suchvoice-enabled computing systems. This often leads to repetition and/orerroneous capture of information provided as voice input, which can befrustrating to a user. Additionally, it may be undesirable to providecertain input as voice input, for example, when the human is attemptingto interact with the system in a public place and does not want to speaksensitive, private or confidential information to provide voice inputthat could be overheard by others in proximity to the user.

Some systems, such as the Amazon Alexa, are capable of retrieving storedinformation (e.g., using information from a generic Amazon accountprofile to populate data into a “card”) and using the stored informationas input in conjunction with voice input. For example, the Amazon Alexadevice can retrieve information from a stored user profile. However, theprocess for enabling such data sharing is itself cumbersome and unknownto many users, e.g., by enabling certain data sharing permissions withinan associated software app (by enabling individuals for each Amazon“skill”), the data stored is limited and generally insufficient for abroad range of possible data needs, and further the repository is not ormay not be secure or compliant with applicable heightened securitystandards, as may be required or appropriate, for example, for bankingor medical/health-related information.

What is needed is a system and method that allows for easy andconvenient input in a manner complementary to voice-enabled input, thatis not likely to be burdensome or frustrating to users, thataccommodates a broad range of data needs, and/or that avoidsconfidentiality issues associated with the use of voice input and thedata security issues associated with the storage of banking,medical/health or other sensitive data.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a system and method that provide amulti-platform communication session to allow for easy and convenientdata input to a computerized system. More particularly, the system andmethod allow for shifting of communications from a voice-enabledcommunications platform used by a voice-enabled computing device toanother communications platform that receives input other than as voiceinput, such as to a web-enabled communications platform. The system andmethod does so to allow for data input in a manner that is not likely tobe burdensome or frustrating to users, that accommodates a broad rangeof data needs, and/or that avoids confidentiality issues associated withthe use of voice input and the data security issues associated with thestorage of banking, medical/health or other sensitive data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

An understanding of the following description will be facilitated byreference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative voice interaction computing architectureset in a home environment that is exemplary of the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of selected functional componentsimplemented in the VECD of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram an exemplary network communicationsenvironment in which the present invention may be employed;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of exemplary communication flows amongcomponents of the system;

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative process of interaction among components ofthe system; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary special-purpose PlatformShifting System computing device in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a system and method for platform shiftingfor voice-enabled computing devices (VECDs) that allows a human user tostart an interaction session with a system on a voice-enabled(voice-based interface) computing platform, and to continue theinteraction session on a web-interface computing platform. In thismanner, the present invention provides a mechanism for easy andconvenient input in a manner complementary to voice-enabled input, thatis not likely to be burdensome or frustrating to users, thataccommodates a broad range of data needs, and/or that avoidsconfidentiality issues associated with the use of voice input and thedata security issues associated with the storage of banking,medical/health or other sensitive data.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the VECD may beimplemented as a device that includes a microphone and a speaker, andthat is communicatively distinct from a user's mobile/cell phone 132,tablet computer 133 b, desktop/personal computer 133 a, etc.(hereinafter, Web-Enabled Device or WED), such as an Amazon Alexa-baseddevice. The WED is web-enabled, in that it includes hardware andsoftware for browsing and interacting with web pages via the Internet.Optionally, for example in the case of mobile/cell phones and tabletcomputers, the WED may also be text-enabled in that it includes hardwareand software for receiving and/or sending SMS messages or similarmessages (such as Apple iMessages) via a cellular carrier/phone networkand/or the Internet. The WED may utilize a network-accessible (or“cloud-based”) service to establish communication with a cellularcarrier network to enable communication between the VECD and the WED.The devices and techniques described herein may be implemented in avariety of different architectures and contexts. One non-limiting andillustrative implementation is described below.

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative voice interaction computing architecture100 set in a home environment 102 that includes a user 104. Thearchitecture 100 also includes an electronic voice-enabled computingdevices VECD 106 with which the user 104 may interact. In theillustrated implementation, the VECD 106 is positioned on a within aroom of the home environment 102, such as on a table, wall, ceiling, ina lamp, etc. More than one VECD 106 may be positioned in a single room,or multiple VECDs may be used to accommodate user interactions frommultiple rooms.

Generally, the VECD 106 has at least one microphone and at least onespeaker to facilitate audio interactions with the user 104 and/or otherusers. In some instances, the VECD 106 is implemented without a hapticinput component (e.g., keyboard, keypad, touch screen, joystick, controlbuttons, etc.) or a display. In certain implementations, a limited setof one or more haptic input components may be employed (e.g., adedicated button to initiate a configuration, power on/off, etc.).Nonetheless, the primary, and potentially only, mode of user interactionwith the electronic VECD 106 may be through voice input and audibleoutput. One example implementation of the VECD 106 is provided below inmore detail with reference to FIG. 2 .

The microphone of the VECD 106 detects audible sounds from theenvironment 102, such as voice sounds from the user 104. As illustrated,the VECD 106 includes a processor 108 and memory 110, which stores orotherwise has access to a speech-recognition engine 112. As used herein,a processor may include multiple processors and/or a processor havingmultiple cores. The speech-recognition engine 112 performs speechrecognition on audio captured by the microphone, such as utterancesspoken by the user 104. The VECD 106 may perform certain actions inresponse to recognizing different speech from the user 104. The user mayspeak predefined commands (e.g., “Awake”; “Sleep”), or may use a morecasual conversation style when interacting with the VECD 106 (e.g., “I'dlike to go to a movie. Please tell me what's playing at the localcinema.”).

In some instances, the VECD 106 may operate in conjunction with or mayotherwise utilize computing resources 114 that are remote from theenvironment 102. For instance, the VECD 106 may couple to the remotecomputing resources 114 over a network 116. As illustrated, the remotecomputing resources 114 may be implemented as one or more servers118(1), 118(2), . . . , 118(P) and may, in some instances form a portionof a network-accessible computing platform implemented as a computinginfrastructure of processors, storage, software, data access, and soforth that is maintained and accessible via a network such as theInternet. The remote computing resources 114 do not require end-userknowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system thatdelivers the services. Common expressions associated for these remotecomputing devices 114 include “on-demand computing”, “software as aservice (SaaS)”, “platform computing”, “network-accessible platform”,“cloud services”, “data centers”, and so forth.

The servers 118(1)-(P) include a processor 120 and memory 122, which maystore or otherwise have access to some or all of the componentsdescribed with reference to the memory 110 of the VECD 106. Forinstance, the memory 122 may have access to and utilize thespeech-recognition engine 112 or another speech recognition engine forreceiving audio signals from the VECD 106, recognizing speech and,potentially, causing performance of an action in response. In someexamples, the VECD 106 may upload audio data to the remote computingresources 114 for processing, given that the remote computing resources114 may have a computational capacity that far exceeds the computationalcapacity of the VECD 106. Therefore, the VECD 106 may utilize thespeech-recognition engine 112 at the remote computing resources 114 forperforming relatively complex analysis on audio captured from theenvironment 102.

Regardless of whether the speech recognition occurs locally or remotelyfrom the environment 102, the VECD 106 may receive vocal input from theuser 104 and the VECD 106 and/or the resources 114 may perform speechrecognition to interpret a user's operational request or command. Therequests may be for essentially any type of operation, such as databaseinquires, requesting and consuming entertainment (e.g., gaming, findingand playing music, movies or other content, etc.), personal management(e.g., calendaring, note taking, etc.), online shopping, financialtransactions, telephone communication, and so forth.

The VECD 106 and the remote computing resources 114 may communicativelycouple to the network 116 via network interface 124 and networkinterface 126, respectively, using wired technologies (e.g., wires, USB,fiber optic cable, etc.), wireless technologies (e.g., RF, cellular,satellite, Bluetooth, etc.), or other connection technologies. Thenetwork 116 is representative of any type of communication network,including data and/or voice network, and may be implemented using wiredinfrastructure (e.g., cable, CATS, fiber optic cable, etc.), a wirelessinfrastructure (e.g., RF, cellular, microwave, satellite, Bluetooth,etc.), and/or other connection technologies.

In accordance with the present invention, at least a part of the remotecomputer resources 114 includes hardware and/or software forimplementing particular functionality in accordance with the presentinvention. In part, the remote computer resources 114 implement aworkflow providing functionality in accordance with the presentinvention. In part, this may involve particular software code and/orlogic consistent with the VECD ecosystem, e.g., to implement tools ofthe VECD ecosystem (e.g., an Amazon Skill for an Amazon Alexa ecosystem)to provide functionality in accordance with the present invention.Additionally, the remote computer resources 114 may include additionalsoftware code and/or logic that extends beyond the functionality of theVECD ecosystem, in accordance with the present invention, and inparticular, to enable a separate communications session with the user104 via the WED, based at least in part on information gathered via theVECD via a voice-enabled communications session with the VECD, so thatan information exchange session interaction initiated via a VECD sessioncan be continued and/or completed via the WED. This may involvecommunication with a separate e-mail and/or web server, e.g., to causedisplay at the WED of a URL or similar hyperlink/link for initiating aweb-based communication session with the WED. By way of further example,this may involve communication with a messaging service 128 (includingappropriate conventional hardware and software), which may include, orbe separately distinct from but in communication with, a cellular/mobilephone carrier network and/or an SMS/MMS or similar service to causedisplay at the WED of a text or similar message including ahyperlink/link for initiate a web-based communication session with theWED. In either case, this allows the user to start an informationexchange session with the VECD using voice input on a voice-enabledplatform, and to shift to a different, web-based platform to continueand/or complete the information exchange session via the WED usingnon-voice input, e.g., via a keyboard, touchscreen or other input deviceof the WED, and/or using data retrieval and web form-filling at the WED,and optionally, via an HTTPS protocol secure web-based communicationssession, using technology that is well-known in the art.

Accordingly, in addition to communicating with each other over thenetwork 116, the VECD 106 and the computing resources 114 may also eachcommunicate with the messaging service 128 over the network 116.

As illustrated, the memory 110 of the VECD 106 also stores or otherwisehas access to a user identification engine 130, which functions toidentify a user that utters an audible command.

Upon receiving audio within the environment 102, the speech-recognitionengine 112 may first attempt to identify whether or not the audiocontains speech, such as speech from the user 104. If so, then thespeech-recognition engine 112 may perform automatic speech recognition(ASR) on the audio and may perform an action corresponding to anycommand from the audio. For instance, the user may speak commandsindicating at the that user wishes to shift platforms, and to completean information exchange session via the WED.

In addition, and as illustrated, the VECD 106 may output a response134(2) after performing the speech recognition. For instance, the VECD106 may output an indication that the VECD will comply with the request,with this indication being audible, visual, or the like. Here, forinstance, the VECD 106 (as govern by commands and/or logic implementedas part of an Alexa skill or otherwise at a distinct server) audiblyoutputs the response 134(2), indicating that the VECD 106 will proceedas requested. As such, the speech-recognition engine 112 may identifythis command and the VECD 106 will request an e-mail address and/ortelephone number to be used to send a link (e.g., via an e-mail or viaan SMS/MMS/text) that can be followed using the WED to initiate aweb-based communication session for continuing the information exchangesession.

FIG. 2 shows selected functional components of the VECD 106 in moredetail. Generally, the VECD 106 may be implemented as a standalonedevice that is relatively simple in terms of functional capabilitieswith limited input/output components, memory and processingcapabilities. For instance, the VECD 106 may not have a keyboard,keypad, or other form of mechanical input in some implementations, nordoes it have a display or touch screen to facilitate visual presentationand user touch input. Instead, the VECD 106 may be implemented with theability to receive and output audio, a network interface (wireless orwire-based), power, and limited processing/memory capabilities.

In the illustrated implementation, the VECD 106 includes the processor108 and memory 110. The memory 110 may include computer-readable storagemedia (“CRSM”), which may be any available physical media accessible bythe processor 108 to execute instructions stored on the memory. In onebasic implementation, CRSM may include random access memory (“RAM”) andFlash memory. In other implementations, CRSM may include, but is notlimited to, read-only memory (“ROM”), electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (“EEPROM”), or any other medium which can be used tostore the desired information and which can be accessed by the processor108.

The VECD 106 includes one or more microphones 202 to receive audioinput, such as user voice input, and one or more speakers 204 to outputaudio sounds. A codec 206 is coupled to the microphone 202 and speaker204 to encode and/or decode the audio signals. The codec may convertaudio data between analog and digital formats. A user may interact withthe VECD 106 by speaking to it, and the microphone 202 captures the userspeech. The codec 206 encodes the user speech and transfers that audiodata to other components. The VECD 106 can communicate back to the userby emitting audible statements through the speaker 204. In this manner,the user interacts with the VECD simply through speech, without use of akeyboard or display common to other types of devices.

In the illustrated example, the VECD 106 includes a wireless interface208 coupled to an antenna 210 to facilitate a wireless connection to anetwork. The wireless interface 208 may implement one or more of variouswireless technologies, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, RF, and so on.

The VECD 106 may also include one or more device interfaces 212 tofacilitate a wired connection to a network, or a plug-in network devicethat communicates with other wireless networks. The interfaces 212 maycomprise a USB port and/or other forms of wired connections such as abroadband connection. A power unit 214 is further provided to distributepower to the various components on the VECD 106.

The VECD 106 is designed to support audio interactions with the user, inthe form of receiving voice commands (e.g., words, phrase, sentences,etc.) from the user and outputting audible feedback to the user.Accordingly, in the illustrated implementation, there are no hapticinput devices, such as navigation buttons, keypads, joysticks,keyboards, touch screens, and the like. Further there is no display fortext or graphical output. In one implementation, the VECD 106 mayinclude non-input control mechanisms, such as basic volume controlbutton(s) for increasing/decreasing volume, as well as power and resetbuttons. There may also be a simple light element (e.g., LED) toindicate a state such as, for example, when power is on. But, otherwise,the VECD 106 does not use or need to use any input devices or displaysin some instances.

Several modules such as instructions, datastores, and so forth may bestored within the memory 110 and configured to execute on the processor108. An operating system module 216 is configured to manage hardware andservices (e.g., wireless unit, USB, Codec) within and coupled to theVECD 106 for the benefit of other modules.

In addition, the memory 110 may include the speech-recognition engine112, the user identification engine 130, and the network interface 124discussed above. Also as discussed above, some or all of the engines,data stores, and components may reside additionally or alternatively atthe remote computing resources 114.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary network communications environment 50 inwhich the present invention may be implemented. The networkcommunications environment 50 includes a VECD 106, such as an AmazonAlexa device. In accordance with the present invention, a user may speaka command to the VECD 106, e.g., during a voice-enabledinteraction/communication session between the user and the VECD 106, toinitiate shifting away from the voice-enabled communication sessionusing the voice-enabled communication platform of the VECD to another(non-voice) communications session using another (non-voice)communications platform (such as an SMS and/or HTTP communicationssession), as discussed above. For example, as part of the platformshifting in accordance with the present invention the user may beprompted by the VECD 106 (in response to initiation of a platformshifting) to provide voice input of a telephone number for receiving atext-type communication via a smartphone 132 or tablet-type 133 b WED,or to provide voice input of an e-mail address for receiving ane-mail-type communication via a personal computer 133 a, or aniMessage-type communication via the smartphone 132 or tablet-type 133 bWED.

A cloud-based service 301, which may be implemented by a PlatformShifting System (PSS) 300 as part of remote computing resources 114,receives inputs responsive to the user's platform shifting input (e.g.,telephone number or e-mail address) via the VECD 106. FIG. 6 is a blockdiagram showing an exemplary Platform Shifting System (PSS) 300 inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Theexemplary PSS 300 includes conventional computing hardware storing andexecuting both conventional software enabling operation of a generalpurpose computing system, such as operating system software 322, networkcommunications software 326. Additionally, the PSS 300 stores andexecuted computer software for carrying out at least one method inaccordance with the present invention. By way of example, thecommunications software 326 may include conventional web serversoftware, and the operating system software 322 may include iOS,Android, Windows, Linux software.

Accordingly, the exemplary PSS 300 of FIG. 6 includes a general-purposeprocessor, such as a microprocessor (CPU), 302 and a bus 304 employed toconnect and enable communication between the processor 302 and thecomponents of the presentation system in accordance with knowntechniques. The exemplary PSS 300 includes a user interface adapter 306,which connects the processor 302 via the bus 304 to one or moreinterface devices, such as a keyboard 308, mouse 310, and/or otherinterface devices 312, which can be any user interface device, such as acamera, microphone, touch sensitive screen, digitized entry pad, etc.The bus 304 also connects a display device 314, such as an LCD screen ormonitor, to the processor 302 via a display adapter 316. The bus 304also connects the processor 302 to memory 318, which can include a harddrive, diskette drive, tape drive, etc.

The PSS 300 may communicate with other computers or networks ofcomputers, for example via a communications channel, network card ormodem 320. The PSS 300 may be associated with such other computers in alocal area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), and may operateas a server in a client/server arrangement with another computer, etc.Such configurations, as well as the appropriate communications hardwareand software, are known in the art.

The PSS 300 includes computer-readable, processor-executableinstructions stored in the memory 318 for carrying out the methodsdescribed herein. Further, the memory 318 stores certain data, e.g. inone or more databases or other data stores 324 shown logically in FIG. 6for illustrative purposes, without regard to any particular embodimentin one or more hardware or software components.

Further, as will be noted from FIG. 6 , the PSS 300 includes, inaccordance with the present invention, a Platform Shifting Engine (PSE)330, shown schematically as stored in the memory 318, which includes anumber of modules providing functionality in accordance with the presentinvention, as discussed in greater detail below. These modules may beimplemented primarily by software including microprocessor—executableinstructions stored in the memory 318 of the PSS 300. Optionally, othersoftware may be stored in the memory 318 and and/or other data may bestored in the data store 324 or memory 318.

The cloud-based service 301 (e.g., PSS 300) manages the platformshifting process by sending a message for initiating a communicationsession via a separate communications platform. More particularly, thePSE 330 includes a Logic Engine 340, as shown in FIG. 6 . The LogicEngine 340 is responsible for receiving an indication of intent toperform platform shifting (originally entered via a VECD using avoice-based interface) to a non-voice-based interface, according topredetermined logic. For example, the Logic Engine 340 may receive anindication of a desire to shift to a web-based platform. The LogicEngine 340 may communication with the Remote Computing Resources 114 tocause a voice prompt to be delivered via the VECD 106 to gatheradditional information required to shift the session to anothercommunications platform, such as a telephone number of e-mail addressfor sending a hyperlink. The Logic Engine may have predefined logic orsettings determining the appropriate hyperlink/URL/payload, and it maybe status or may contextually-aware or otherwise infer it or determineit from information received via the VECD 106 or the remote computingresources 114.

When a response is received at the PSS 300, Logic Engine 340 parses thereceived data or otherwise determines where/how the user wants toreceive a link for continuing the communications session. If the LogicEngine 340 determines that the user desires to receive a hyperlink via atext/SMS message, it causes an SMS Request Module 350 of the PSS 300 (asshown in FIG. 6 ) to send a suitable hyperlink via SMS message using thetelephone number identified by the Logic Engine 340, e.g., by parsingdata received at the PSS 300. For example, cloud-based service 301 (SMSRequest Module 350 of PSS 300) may submit a request with an endpoint(e.g., telephone number) and payload to the messaging service 128 thatwill propagate to the endpoint device (e.g., smartphone) by way of anexisting communications delivery pipeline (e.g., cell carrier). Forexample, this may be sent in the form of a REST (HTTP-based)request/API, which may be developed, managed, and maintained by themessaging service 128. The messaging service 128 may then send anSMS/MMS message to the user's smartphone 132 or tablet 133 b. Themessage includes a hyperlink/URL that the user can select to initiate aweb-based (e.g., HTTP-based) communication session that is separate fromthe voice-enabled communication session via the VECD 106, so that theuser can provide additional input other than as voice input, and/or sothat stored data can be retrieved from the user's device 132/133 b,and/or so that a secure communication session (e.g., HTTPS session) canbe used to continue communications and information exchange in anHTTP-based session with an HTTP server 400.

By way of alternative example, and somewhat similarly, if the LogicEngine 340 determines that the user desires to receive a hyperlink viaan e-mail message, it causes an HTTP Session Module 360 of PSS 300 (asshown in FIG. 6 ) to send a suitable hyperlink via an e-mail or othermessage using the e-mail address identified by the Logic Engine 340,e.g., by parsing data received at the PSS 300. For example, cloud-basedservice 301 (the HTTP Session Module 260) may submit an e-mail addressto a messaging service (e.g., cell carrier) 128. For example, the e-mailaddress may be used by the messaging service 128 to send aniMessage-type message to a user's smartphone 132 or tablet 133 b, or tosend an e-mail message to the user's personal computer 132/mail client(or a mail client of the user's smartphone 132 or tablet 133 b). In anycase, the message includes a hyperlink/URL that the user can select toinitiate a web-based (e.g., HTTP-based) communication session that isseparate from the voice-enabled communication session via the VECD 106,so that the user can provide additional input other than as voice input,and/or so that stored data can be retrieved from the user's device132/133 b, and/or so that a secure communication session (e.g., HTTPSsession) can be used to continue communications and information exchangein an HTTP-based session with an HTTP server 400.

Additional information illustrating exemplary communications forcommunication session shifting from a voice-enabled communicationplatform to a web-enabled communication platform is shown in FIGS. 4 and5 .

The link/URL may be generated and/or specified as managed by thecloud-based service 301. For example, if the request to switch to theweb platform was received during a workflow for making an appointment ata healthcare facility, then the cloud-based service 301 may send a linkto a web-based form on a web-page that allows for making of anappointment at that particular healthcare facility. Such forms providefor receipt of input as text-based input (e.g., via keyboard ortouchscreen) rather than as voice input, so that input will not bespoken and overheard by others in proximity to the user, and so thatunusual surnames, town names, etc. can be captured accurately withouterrors introduced in a voice recognition process. Additionally, dataelements required for completion of the form may be retrieved from acache and/or data store of information stored at the user's device, orelsewhere. This allows for forms to be completed particularlyefficiently, e.g., without re-entering previously provided input, whichcan be pre-populated or automatedly populated from stored data, as knownin the art. Additionally, the link may be sent to use the secure HTTPSprotocol, to allow for encrypted/secure data communications, to preservedata privacy, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The processes described herein may be implemented by the architecturesdescribed herein, or by other architectures. These processes areillustrated as collections of blocks in logical flow graphs. Some of theblocks represent operations that can be implemented in hardware,software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, theblocks represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or morecomputer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, perform the recited operations. Generally,computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, and the like that perform particularfunctions or implement particular abstract data types. The order inwhich the operations are described is not intended to be construed as alimitation, and any number of the described blocks can be combined inany order or in parallel to implement the processes. It is understoodthat the following processes may be implemented with other architecturesas well.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there arenumerous commercial applications for this platform switching applicationthat allows a user to complete complex information exchange interactionsstarted via a voice interface in a secure and practical format. By wayof example, a user could select an appointment time via a voiceinteraction with the VECD, provide a mobile telephone number, be texteda hyperlink to a secure web form, and then complete a registration viatextual input in an HTTP/HTTP communication session. Alternatively, auser could select from a menu of items and create an order using voicecommands and the VECD, then provide a mobile telephone number and betexted a hyperlink to a secure HTTPS web form to complete the order andmake payment, or to complete a banking transaction. By way of furtherexample, a user could inquire about how to get to a specific locationvia a voice interaction with the VECD, provide a mobile phone number aspart of a platform shifting request, and then get texted a hyperlink/URLto directions, a map, or an image.

In certain embodiments, the hyperlink/text/message could include a datapayload sent to the user during the interaction. The payload couldcomprise directions, a form to complete purchasing movie tickets, apicture, a recording, a song, a video, etc.

Accordingly, the present invention allows a user to take full advantageof a voice-enabled communication device to start an interaction, andthen seamlessly switch the interaction to a different (web-based)platform for enhances ease of use and security to complete theinteraction. This is done by having a user provide a spoken mobile phonenumber, e.g., at a point during an interaction when use of voicecommands becomes undesirably cumbersome or a barrier (providingregistration information, completing a purchase, receiving complexdirections that need to be saved, receiving a coupon, etc.).

While there have been described herein the principles of the invention,it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this descriptionis made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims, tocover all modifications of the invention which fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for shifting aninformation exchange session to another data communications platformusing a computerized platform shifting system having at least oneprocessor and a memory operatively coupled to the at least one processorand storing instructions executable by the processor, the methodcomprising: receiving a request to shift communications away from avoice-enabled communications platform of a voice-enabled communicationsdevice configured to detect vocal input within a physical environment ofthe voice-enabled communications device; and sending, from the platformshifting system, a message to a messaging address for web-enabledcommunication, the message comprising a device-independent URL forinitiating a web-based communication session with any web-enabledcommunication device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requestcomprises a messaging address for communication via a text-basedcommunications platform.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the messagingaddress comprises an e-mail address.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinthe e-mail address comprises a telephone number.
 5. The method of claim3, wherein sending the message comprises sending an MMS message.
 6. Themethod of claim 3, wherein sending the message comprises sending ane-mail message to the e-mail address.
 7. The method of claim 3, whereinsending the message comprises sending an MMS message to the e-mailaddress.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the URL comprises a hyperlinkto a web address.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the URL isconfigured for use of HTTP data communications protocol.
 10. The methodof claim 8, wherein the URL is configured for use of HTTPS datacommunications protocol.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein themessaging address comprises a mobile telephone number.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein sending the message comprises sending an SMS messageto the telephone number.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein sending themessage comprises sending an MMS message to the telephone number. 14.The method of claim 11, wherein the URL comprises a web address.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the URL is configured for use of HTTP datacommunications protocol.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the URL isconfigured for use of HTTPS data communications protocol.
 17. The methodof claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receipt at thevoice-enabled communications device of vocal input identifying themessaging address.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving therequest comprises receiving, at the platform shifting system, a datacommunication corresponding to vocal input provided to the voice-enabledcommunications device.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the message issent to the messaging address in the form of a REST API request.
 20. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the message is sent to a messaging gatewayserver.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the request identifies anendpoint and contains a data payload.
 22. The method of claim 21,wherein the URL comprises at least a portion of the data payloadformatted for use in the web-enabled communication session.
 23. Themethod of claim 22, wherein the portion of the data payload is used toprepopulate a form in an HTTP communication session.
 24. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said instructions areconfigured to send the message to a messaging address associated-with aparticular web-enabled communication device.
 25. A platform shiftingsystem comprising: a processor; a memory operatively connected to theprocessor, said memory storing executable instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor, causes the platform shifting system toperform a method for shifting an information exchange session to anotherdata communications platform, the method comprising: receiving a requestto shift communications away from a voice-enabled communicationsplatform of a voice-enabled communications device configured to detectvocal input within a physical environment of the voice-enabledcommunications device; and sending, from the platform shifting system, amessage to a messaging address for web-enabled communication, themessage comprising a generic URL for initiating a web-basedcommunication session with any web-enabled device.
 26. A computerprogram product for implementing a method for shifting an informationexchange session to another data communications platform, the computerprogram product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable mediumstoring executable instructions that, when executed by a processor,cause a computerized system to perform the method for shifting theinformation exchange session to another data communications platform,the method comprising: receiving a request to shift communications awayfrom a voice-enabled communications platform of a voice-enabledcommunications device configured to detect vocal input within a physicalenvironment of the voice-enabled communications device; and sending,from the platform shifting system, a message to a messaging address forweb-enabled communication, the message comprising a generic URL forinitiating a web-based communication session with any web-enableddevice.